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Chase Expands Retail Branches to All Lower 48 States

Bank becomes the first to have branches in entire contiguous United States

More than halfway through plan to open 400 new branches and hire 3,000 employees by the end of 2022

BILLINGS, Mont.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Chase today announced that it has officially opened bank branches in all of the lower 48 states, marking an important milestone in its expansion plans and as the first national bank to have a retail presence in the contiguous United States. The bank opened its first branch in Billings, Montana earlier this week following openings in Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Vermont in July.

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The bank is more than halfway through its plans to open 400 branches in new markets by the end of 2022. Since announcing expansion plans in 2018, Chase has opened more than 220 branches and entered 25 new states and the District of Columbia. Approximately 30 percent of these branches will be in low-to-moderate income communities.

“This is an important milestone for us. We are proud to be able to bring the power of our branches to more households, businesses and communities across the country,” said Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking. “For us, it’s important that our branches serve as community anchors connecting our neighbors and local businesses to critical resources that meet their financial needs and help them build a secure financial future.”

As part of its branch expansion, Chase expects to hire 3,000 employees in these new branches by the end of 2022, with more than 2,000 hired so far. More than 75 percent of hires are external to the firm and local to their community.

“When we talk about entering new markets, we’re talking about our own communities, our own neighborhoods. We’re hiring locally and are bringing all the benefits our firm has to offer to drive economic growth,” said Dan Deegan, Head of Market Expansion at JPMorgan Chase. “We’re designing branches that allow us to effectively serve our customers and that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of each one of our communities.”

Additionally, the expansion will grant Chase Qualified Public Depository status across the contiguous United States, allowing the bank to serve vital community institutions including local governments, municipalities and universities.

Chase’s branch expansion builds on its ongoing investment in its retail network. Last October, the firm committed to opening 16 new Community Center branches, designed with extra space for the community to host financial health workshops, small businesses pop-ups and technical training sessions. These branches are placed in historically and culturally significant communities that lack access to traditional banking – often urban areas with larger Black and Latinx populations.

Chase plans to complete its 400 branch expansion effort by the end of 2022. To check for updates or to learn more about Chase’s branches, products and services, please visit Chase.com.

About Chase

Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $3.7 trillion and operations worldwide. Chase serves more than 60 million American households with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing. Customers can choose how and where they want to bank: More than 4,800 branches in 48 states and the District of Columbia, 16,000 ATMs, mobile, online and by phone. For more information, go to chase.com.

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Chase media contact:

Iba Reller

[email protected]

202.524.0422

KEYWORDS: United States North America Montana

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Professional Services Consumer Small Business Women Finance Men Banking

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Agilent Earns 2021 Great Place to Work Certification in the U.S.

86% of U.S. employees call Agilent a great place to work

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that it has been certified as a Great Place to Work in the U.S., a prestigious independent recognition based entirely on employee feedback about leadership behavior, integrity, camaraderie, and 17 other dimensions of corporate excellence.

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture and leadership behaviors. Certification is seen as the definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition and a mark of a great employee experience.

Agilent’s 2021 certification was based on survey results in which 86% of employees called Agilent a great place to work, compared to a benchmark of 59% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company. The survey of all 5,679 U.S.-based Agilent employees was run entirely by Great Place to Work, and Agilent had no influence or control over who was surveyed or what questions were asked.

“We are thrilled to become Great Place to Work-certified, a recognition that says as much about our employees as it does about our company and our One Agilent mindset,” said Erica Wright, Agilent vice president of human resources and global talent. “We know that employees do their best work when they are respected as individuals, valued as teammates, and appreciated by their leaders, and we’re proud to have created a culture where employees can be their best selves every day.”

Agilent’s highest scores on the survey were related to fairness, equity, and integrity. For example, employees said people here are treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation (95%), race (92%), age (90%), and gender (90%). Another 91% of employees say management is honest and ethical in its business practices, and 91% say they are proud to tell others they work at Agilent.

“Great Place to Work Certification isn’t something that comes easily – it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience,” said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. “It’s the only official recognition determined by employees’ real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Agilent is one of the best companies to work for in the country.”

Agilent is also one of the best companies to work for in other countries, having recently won Great Place to Work awards in China and Germany as well as certification in India and Spain. Earlier this year, Agilent was also ranked one of the top 100 U.S. companies for diversity by Forbes Magazine, and it topped Barron’s 2020 list of 100 Most Sustainable Companies.

According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits, and have a fair chance at promotion.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent is a leader in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets, delivering innovative technology solutions that provide trusted answers to researchers’ most challenging scientific questions. The company generated revenue of $5.34 billion in fiscal year 2020 and employs 16,400 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, please subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210804005219/en/

Tom Beermann

+1 408-553-2914

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Electronic Design Automation Data Management Manufacturing Technology Human Resources Marketing Communications Professional Services General Health Other Technology Other Manufacturing Science Software Other Science Health

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SMATS Traffic Solutions Chooses Wejo to Deliver Accurate, Reliable Traffic Data

SMATS Clients Will Leverage the Power of Wejo’s Connected Vehicle Data to Create Safer, More Sustainable Roadways

OTTAWA, Canada & MANCHESTER, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Wejo, a global leader in connected vehicle data, today announced that SMATS Traffic Solutions, the industry leader in smart mobility and traffic management solutions, has chosen its solution to address the need for reliable, highly accurate, targeted traffic data. Wejo will allow SMATS to offer data within its SaaS solution, resulting in more accessible, accurate, and expansive traffic data for clients.

The combination of Wejo high-resolution connected vehicle data provided via the Adept™ service and SMATS iNode™ data analytics platform will allow companies to access a wealth of historical and current data without the need for physical sensor installation or future maintenance. Data can be accessed using cloud-based data exchange platforms and follows all privacy laws and legislations.

“At SMATS, we are committed to leveraging reliable, innovative traffic data to help our clients achieve their traffic project goals faster and better” said Amir Ghods, CEO at SMATS. “We’re excited to announce that we will be working with Wejo, a world leader in connected vehicle data, to further our mission and address the changing needs of our clients. As connected vehicles become more common and the industry grows, this partnership will contribute to the safety, efficiency and sustainability of roadways and transportation systems.”

With Wejo, clients can access key metrics for corridor analysis, intersection analysis, origin-destination analysis, driver events, and location data visualizations, all easily visualized through the iNode™ platform. With coverage of 95% of roads in the United States and the ability to send data from cars to customers in under 32 seconds, Wejo and SMATS can provide faster, more accurate traffic data.

“We’re committed to working with like-minded organizations that help us achieve our greatest mission – leveraging the power of connected vehicle, which is why we identify our products and services with Data For Good^TM,” said Richard Barlow, CEO at Wejo. “This exciting new relationship will allow customers to easily access a vast amount of data that will ultimately create safer roadways and a better, more sustainable driving experience for all.”

More vehicles on the road are connected and able to produce up to 30 terabytes of data every day, making them information rich data hubs for traffic planners and engineers. By combining Wejo high resolution connected vehicle data with an accessible analytics platform and experienced team, clients can easily access advanced, detailed, reliable traffic data.

This news comes on the heels’ of Wejo’s recent announcement that it has partnered with industry leaders Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) (“Microsoft”), Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) and Sompo Holdings (TYO: 8630) (“Sompo”) to advance the cutting-edge applications of connected vehicle data worldwide. Wejo also recently announced that it is in a definitive agreement to enter a business combination with Virtuoso Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: VOSO) in a transaction expected to close later this year.

About SMATS

Founded in 2015, SMATS Traffic Solutions specializes in hardware and software solutions for smart mobility traffic data collection and analysis. Our technology is used to analyze millions of global commuters’ traffic patterns each and every day. From travel time and signal analytics to origin-destination studies, our technology covers a plethora of use cases that have helped State Departments of Transportation, Counties, Cities, and Ports.

About Wejo

Wejo is a global leader in connected vehicle data, revolutionizing the way we live, work and travel by transforming and interpreting historic and real-time vehicle data. The company enables smarter mobility by organizing trillions of data points from over 11 million vehicles and more than 48 billion journeys globally, across multiple brands, makes and models, and then standardizing and enhancing those streams of data on a vast scale. Wejo partners with ethical, like-minded companies and organizations to turn that data into insights that unlock value for consumers. With the most comprehensive and trusted data, information and intelligence, Wejo is creating a smarter, safer, more sustainable world for all. Founded in 2014, Wejo employs more than 200 people and has offices in Manchester in the UK and in regions where Wejo does business around the world. For more information, visit: www.wejo.com

Forward-Looking Statements.

This communication includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Virtuoso Acquisition Corp.’s (“Virtuoso”) and Wejo Limited’s, a private limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales with company number 08813730 (“Wejo”) actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Virtuoso’s and Wejo’s expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the proposed business combination, the satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions to the proposed business combination, and the timing of the completion of the proposed business combination.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially, and potentially adversely, from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside Virtuoso’s and Wejo’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”); (ii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Virtuoso, Wejo Group Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of Bermuda (the “Company”) and/or Wejo following the announcement of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; (iii) the inability to complete the proposed business combination, including due to failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of Virtuoso, certain regulatory approvals, or the satisfaction of other conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement; (iv) the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement or could otherwise cause the transaction to fail to close; (v) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Wejo’s business and/or the ability of the parties to complete the proposed business combination; (vi) the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of the Company’s common shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market following the proposed business combination; (vii) the risk that the proposed business combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the proposed business combination; (viii) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of Wejo to grow and manage growth profitably, and retain its key employees; (ix) costs related to the proposed business combination; (x) changes in applicable laws or regulations; and (xi) the possibility that Wejo, Virtuoso or the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. The foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in Virtuoso’s most recent filings with the SEC and is contained in the Company’s preliminary Form S-4 (the “Form S-4”), which was filed on July 16, 2021, including the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus expected to be filed in connection with the proposed business combination. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Virtuoso, Wejo or the Company, the transactions described herein or other matters and attributable to Virtuoso, the Company or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Each of Virtuoso, Wejo and the Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in their expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.

No Offer or Solicitation.

This communication is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed business combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of Virtuoso, the Company or Wejo, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or exemptions therefrom.

Important Information About the Proposed Business Combination and Where to Find It.

In connection with the proposed business combination, a preliminary registration statement on Form S-4 was filed by the Company with the SEC on July 16, 2021. The Form S-4 included preliminary proxy statements to be distributed to holders of Virtuoso’s common stock in connection with Virtuoso’s solicitation for proxies for the vote by Virtuoso’s stockholders in connection with the proposed business combination and other matters as described in the Form S-4, as well as a prospectus of the Company relating to the offer of the securities to be issued in connection with the completion of the business combination. Virtuoso, Wejo and the Company urge investors, stockholders and other interested persons to read the Form S-4, including the proxy statement/prospectus incorporated by reference therein, as well as other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed business combination, as these materials contain important information about Wejo, Virtuoso, and the proposed business combination. Such persons can also read Virtuoso’s final prospectus dated January 21, 2021 (SEC File No. 333-251781), for a description of the security holdings of Virtuoso’s officers and directors and their respective interests as security holders in the consummation of the proposed business combination. After the Form S-4 has been declared effective, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to Virtuoso’s stockholders as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination. Stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of such documents, without charge, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Virtuoso Acquisition Corp., 180 Post Road East, Westport, CT 06880, or (203) 227-1978. These documents can also be obtained, without charge, at the SEC’s web site (http://www.sec.gov).

INVESTMENT IN ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SEC OR ANY OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY NOR HAS ANY AUTHORITY PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE OFFERING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

Participants in the Solicitation.

Virtuoso, Wejo, the Company and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of their management and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Virtuoso’s stockholders in connection with the proposed business combination. Investors and security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of Virtuoso’s directors and executive officers in Virtuoso’s final prospectus dated January 21, 2021 (SEC File No. 333-251781), which was filed with the SEC on January 26, 2021. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of Virtuoso’s stockholders in connection with the proposed business combination will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed business combination when available. Information concerning the interests of Virtuoso’s and Wejo’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of Virtuoso’s and Wejo’s equity holders generally, will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed business combination when it becomes available.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210804005795/en/

Nick Goode

Wejo

[email protected]

Amir Ghods

SMATS Traffic Solutions

[email protected]

Shannon Casey/Emily Lospennato

V2 Communications

[email protected]

Idalia Rodriguez

Arbor Advisory Group

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: New York North America United States United Kingdom Europe Canada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Software Technology Transport Other Transport

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Posted on August 4, 2021 10:57 am

CI Global Asset Management Offers Cost-Effective, One-Stop ESG Investing with New CI Mosaic ESG ETF Portfolios

CI Global Asset Management Offers Cost-Effective, One-Stop ESG Investing with New CI Mosaic ESG ETF Portfolios

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CI Global Asset Management (“CI GAM”) today introduced the CI Mosaic ESG ETF Portfolios, which combine a focus on environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors with the convenience of a fully diversified portfolio.

The three CI Mosaic ESG ETF Portfolios invest in ESG-focused exchange-traded funds to construct portfolios matching a range of investor goals. They are managed by CI GAM’s Multi-Asset Management team, asset allocation experts who oversee approximately $47 billion in assets in managed solutions at CI GAM (as at June 30, 2021).

“There is a groundswell of interest in ESG investing, but a myriad of choices, with over 570 ESG-based ETFs alone in North America. We are making it easy for investors with our sophisticated one-stop ESG solutions,” said Roy Ratnavel, Executive Vice-President and Head of Distribution for CI GAM. “Investors benefit from our Multi-Asset Management team’s expertise in navigating the world of ESG investments and their proficiency in asset allocation, portfolio construction and risk management.”

The CI Mosaic ESG ETF Portfolios also offer a cost-effective entry to ESG investing, with highly competitive management fees ranging from 0.45% to 0.50% (Series F).

The Portfolios include:

• CI Mosaic ESG Balanced Income ETF Portfolio, with a target asset allocation of 60% fixed income, 40% equity
• CI Mosaic ESG Balanced ETF Portfolio, with a target asset allocation of 40% fixed income, 60% equity
• CI Mosaic ESG Balanced Growth ETF Portfolio, with a target asset allocation of 20% fixed income, 80% equity.

CI Mosaic ESG ETF Portfolios are actively managed using a “core and satellite” approach. The core, which consists of diversified ETFs holding companies with high ESG ratings relative to peers, is complemented by concentrated mandates focusing on specific ESG themes and opportunities.

“The new ESG Portfolios reflect CI GAM’s commitment to responsible investing and to modernizing our asset management business,” Mr. Ratnavel said. “We continue to enhance our product lineup by launching timely and relevant investment solutions to help investors achieve their financial goals.”

The new ESG Portfolios complement the CI Mosaic ETF Portfolios, a family of five funds of ETFs launched in January 2019. The Lead Portfolio Manager of all Mosaic Portfolios is Stephen Lingard, who has over 27 years of investment industry experience, including over 13 years as a manager of multi-asset portfolios.

The new Portfolios expand CI GAM’s lineup of ESG solutions, which also includes:

• CI MSCI World ESG Impact Fund, which invests in a globally diversified portfolio of companies that have high ESG performance relative to their sector peers, while further excluding companies focused on fossil fuels for energy purposes. It is available as a mutual fund and ETF (NEO: CESG, CESG.B).

• CI Global Climate Leaders Fund, which invests primarily in a concentrated long-only portfolio of companies focused on decarbonization and climate change located anywhere in the world. It is available as a mutual fund and ETF (TSX: CLML, CLML.U).

CI GAM is a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) and integrates ESG factors into its investment decision-making process for all of its investment mandates as well as proxy voting and shareholder engagement.

New currency hedged fund units

CI GAM also announced that it has launched U.S. dollar hedged units for CI Emerging Markets Fund, CI Emerging Markets Corporate Class and CI Global Alpha Innovators Corporate Class. Hedged series units are available for purchase in U.S. dollars and hedged against currency fluctuations between the Canadian and U.S. dollar. Series AH, FH, IH and PH units for each fund are available as of today. The new units provide additional investment choices for advisors and clients to access CI GAM mandates and accommodate the growing interest in these funds.

About CI Global Asset Management

CI Global Asset Management is one of Canada’s largest investment management companies. It offers a wide range of investment products and services and is on the Web at www.ci.com. CI GAM is a subsidiary of CI Financial Corp. (TSX: CIX, NYSE: CIXX), an independent company offering global asset management and wealth management advisory services with approximately $304 billion in total assets as at June 30, 2021.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds and ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell units of an ETF on recognized Canadian exchanges. If the units are purchased or sold on these Canadian exchanges, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying units of the ETF and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

This document is provided as a general source of information and should not be considered personal, legal, accounting, tax or investment advice, or construed as an endorsement or recommendation of any entity or security discussed. Every effort has been made to ensure that the material contained in this document is accurate at the time of publication. Individuals should seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding any particular investment. Investors should consult their professional advisors prior to implementing any changes to their investment strategies.

Certain statements in this document are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements (“FLS”) are statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” or “estimate,” or other similar expressions. Statements that look forward in time or include anything other than historical information are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results, actions or events could differ materially from those set forth in the FLS. FLS are not guarantees of future performance and are by their nature based on numerous assumptions. Although the FLS contained herein are based upon what CI Global Asset Management believes to be reasonable assumptions, CI Global Asset Management cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these FLS. The reader is cautioned to consider the FLS carefully and not to place undue reliance on FLS. Unless required by applicable law, it is not undertaken, and specifically disclaimed that there is any intention or obligation to update or revise FLS, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) is the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment. It encourages investors to use responsible investment to enhance returns and better manage risks.

CI Global Asset Management is a registered business name of CI Investments Inc. ©CI Investments Inc. 2021. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210804005794/en/

Murray Oxby

Vice-President, Corporate Communications

CI Global Asset Management

416-681-3254

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: North America Canada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Banking Professional Services Finance

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